Cutting tool for pipe cleaning



Aug. 1, 1950 A. A. OLEARY CUTTING TOOL FOR PIPE CLEANING Filed Feb. 21,1947 FlE.z

gwuq/rvfm ANDR EW A. OLEARY 3% m. Bum

Patented Aug. 1 1950 w H- mil. I

en'r'rINGj'rooL FOR PIPE cL-EANING Andrew A.Leary, SLPa ul MinnaApplication February 21, I94'7QSerial-N6; "7301119" My inventionrelates-to an'improvementin cut filled with foreign material, by meansof acutter head mountedon the end of a flexible cable.

These" cutter headshave usually been welded to the endof a cable so asto be firmlyaffixedthereto. This-structure has been found to involvecertain diiiicultiesas the operation of welding thehead "tothe cableseems-to effectthe'metal of the cable in such a wayas to causetheheadtobreak oif after a num-berof'hours of work. The breaking of thehead of the apparatusis serious asit is often necessary to dig out thedrain-pipe in order toopen the same after the-head has been lodged inthe pipe. i

A f eatureof thepresent invention resides in the provision ofa cutterhead which is attabhed to the endof the cable" by means othenthanwelding. As-aresult the cutter head maybe removed from time to time andthe cable reversed at intervals, which has been found'to lengthentherlife oflathecable toa.considerableextent. l f

A featureof the present invention resides in thefl provisioniof a:cutter head'mounted uponlalholloiv cable and having a wire ropeextendingithrough the cable. This wire rope in itself -isusually notoicsuflicient strength to be'ofmuch use-in operating the-:cutter head.However, thewire rope "is considerably more flexible than theoutencablea: and-as a result this wireropeholds togetherthe:

brokenflparts ofv the cable in the event the cable should break. As aresult the cutteryhead may;v

usually be'withdrawn from the pipe withoutzdifficulty. even aftertheouter cable'has been broken.

Awiurther feature of the present inventionwresideswintthe provision of acutter head-body in which two ormoreblades mayberemovably supported; Thecutter head body has an axial aperi ture i therethrou'gh through which:the cable may extend. Set screws orsimilarrmeans are provided forattaching theheadbody to the cable. The-cutter head bladesmay befreelyremoved or replaced when thepable is entirely or partiallywithdrawn fromthe cutter headlbodyz However,-

when the cableisin place in the cutter head the. bladeslare held inplace-thereby. l 1 Aifurther featureeof the presentiinvention resides:the particular shape: and arrangement of them-bladesthemselves. 1 l l vi i 'lhesepand v other objects and :novel-Ffeatures {oil my-Pinventionwill l be more clearly and fullyv set forth in: the followingsspecification and claimsw Irrthe drawingsriorming part of myspecification? i Figure 1 is a\ side" elevational view of the cutterhead showing the construction thereof 5 t Figure :2 is a cross sectionalView l through the 1 cutter head; the position of the section beingindicated'rbythe linen2-2 of Figure l. I

Figure 3 is:alperspectiveiview of :the cutter. head bodysand oneendirofl aiblade engagedtherein;

Figurewlis a:perspective view of apportion of one of the blades showingthe construction; thereof. i I i t Figure 5 is aiesectionalview throughthe blade? illustrated'in'Ei'gure 4; the position of the sectionbeingindicatedzby the line 5-5lof Figure 4.

. Thercuttingxtool .L is: illustrated in the drawings; in general byatheletter ALi This cuttingtool is" supported on theend of a cable which isindicated insageneral bythe letterBl The cutter head A mountedon thecable B to rotate in unison there-=- with. l l

Theicutterhead A i is constructed as best illustrated in Figuresil, 2,and 3 of the drawings: The cutter head body Innis rectangular inout-line at its largest section, the; body including opposedsidefaeeswlI and Hand opposed top and bottom faces I3 and I4. Anmaperture extendsaxially; through the body I02 Thisclaperture is partially cylindricalinclshape as' indicated "at I 5; The. re; mainderrofs lthe aperture"through the body It isrectangular as indicatedat I6. 'I'hesides of therectangular aperture IG WhiCh are parallel to the sides II andt2;;areqsubstantially flush with; the edges of the' cylindrical apertureI5. Thesides of theaperture ittwhich are parallel the topand bottomsides l3 -andul4jare spaced apart a'distance; somewhatgreaterthan thediameter ofthe aperl ture: [5,: thus providing shoulders Hand [9 between the ends of the cylindricalaperturei5 and the ends of therectangular aperture I B.

Apair of similjar blades Zillaremounted in the body- Ill'toprojecttherefrom. Each blade 20 is: providedwith a notch 2| in one side edgethereof nearthe butt end 22 ofthe blade. Alugi 23 is provided within thehead In to engage in each of: thenotches 2!: The lugs 23 areintegralwith the top andrbottomiinner surfaces 24 and 25 of the rectangularaperture I61 and are spaced from the shouldered! andilfii These lugs=23engage in the notches 2l ofthe blades 20 and hold the bladesw from beingaccidentally disengaged from the head" whenuthe toolisin operation;

gAs-will be"obviouswircnr;anl-examination ofFigs i ores 1 and 3 of thedrawings the blades 20 may be engaged in the head body l only when thecable B is not projecting through the apertures and Hi. The blades mustbe engaged in the head with the notches 2| embracing the lugs 23 whilethe cable i withdrawn from the rectangular aperture l6. Once the blades20 have been inserted in place the cable B may be inserted through theaperture l6 between the blades 20, the cable then holding the bladesfrom disengagement with the head body.

As best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 0f the v I drawings the cable Bincludes an outer helically wound metal wire 26 which is ofproper outerdiameter to fit within the cylindrical aperture [5 and between theparallel side walls21 and 29 of the rectangular aperture 16. Furthermorethe top and bottom surfaces 24 and25 of the aperture [5 are spaced aparta distance just sufficient topermit the butt ends of the blades 20 to beinterposed between thesetop and bottom surfaces and the outer surface ofthe cable 26. As a result the. outer surfaceof the cable engages againstthe inner opposed surfaces of the blades 20 and holds these blades frommovement toward the center of the aperture 16, thereby preventingdisengagement of the notches 21 from the lugs23.

-The cable B also includes a wire rope which fits snugly within'thecable 26 and is relatively more'flexible than the cable .26. This Wirerope 30 is usually too light to withstand the rotative strain of thetool when driven, but supplements the. cable 26 in its action.

A pair of set screws 3| and 32 extend through therectangular portion ofthe body In and engage the outer surface of the cable 26 withconsiderable force, which is preferably sufficient to clamp the cable 26against the wire rope 30. Thus the end of the cable is firmly connectedtogether by means of the set screws 3l and 32. The head body and theblades may be readily removed from the cable, however, by disengagementof the set screws 3| and 32. -The body Ill preferably tapers from theintermediate rectangular portion toward each end of the body. At one endthe body tapers at 33 so as'tobe circular in cross section at this end.a The body also tapers at 34 to be rectangular in outer shape at thisend of the body- In operation the cable B is rotated, acting to rotatethe head body It). This rotation alsoacts to rotate the blades 20 inunison with the head body. The blades are provided with a cutting edgewhich engages the obstructing material within the pipe and cuts into thesame. The blades 20 are relatively close together at' their butt end,but diverge apart by outwardly inclined portions 35 and curve at 36 toconverge toward one another at the free ends 31 of the blades. The freeends of the blades are usually tapered as illustrated in Figure 2 of thedrawings,

In the event the blades 20 are of too large or toosmall diameter to fita predetermined pipe, the head body It! may be removed from the cableand larger or smaller blades 2i) substituted for the improperly sizedblades. Also in the event the blades should become locked within thepipe, causing the cable 26 to break, the head of the cutter will alwaysremain'connected by the wire rope 30. Thus in the event'the outer cable26 should break, the cable rotating apparatus is stopped Without delayand the cable B removed from the pipe by pulling upon the cable. Therelative flexibility of the wire rope 30 permits this wire rope to betwis ed considerable amount after breakage of the outer cable 26 beforethe wire rope becomes injured.

The tooth construction employed is best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.In the formation of the teeth the outer surface 39 of each of the blades20 is beveled at 40 to the inner surface 41 of the blade. Substantiallytriangular notches 42 are cut in the inner surface M of the blades 20into this beveled edge of the blade. Similar triang ular notches 43 arecut i the beveled surface 40 of the blade on the outer side thereof. Thenotches 42 and 43 are spaced apart the proper distance to producesharply pointed teeth 44 therebetween. These teeth have a sharp cuttingsurface therebetween formed by the notches 42 and 43. Thus when theblades are supported in the cutter head body and rotated the sharpenedand toothed edges of the blades are brought into contact withobstructing matter within the pipes acting to loosen this matter so asto allow a normal flow of fluid through the pipe.

In preferred form the blades are substantially identical. As a resultwhen supported in the head in the manner illustrated in Figure 1, the

, edges of the blades are in reversed position so that the cutting edgeof both blades will act upon the material in the pipe when the head isrotated in one direction.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have z described theprinciples of construction and operation 'of-my cutting tool, and whileI have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire tohave it understoodthat these,

areonly illustrative thereof and that obvious changes may be made withinthe scope of the following claims Without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

I claim:'

1. A cutting tool for use on a cable, thetool including a cutter headhaving an aperturetherethrough, one end, of said aperture beingsubstantially cylindrical and the other end of said aperture beingsubstantially rectangular, a pair of blades engageable between saidcableand opposed sides'ofsaid rectangular aperture portion, co-

operable means on said blade and said head holding said blades fromlongitudinal movement relative to said head when thus engaged, and meansfor holding said cable between said blades.

2. A cutting tool for us on a flexible cable including a head, anaperture therethrough, one end of said aperture being substantiallycylindrical and the other end of said aperture being substantiallyrectangular, two opposed sides of said rectangular aperture portionbeing "spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the diameter ofsaid cylindrical aperture portion, and the other twolsides of saidrectangular aperture being spaced a greater distance apart, a pair ofblades engageable in said rectangular aperture, and a cable extendinginto said aperture, said cable having an outer diameter to snugly fitsaid cylindrical aperture portion, and means for holding said cable insaid'head, said cable being interposed between the ends of said blades.

3. A cutting tool comprising a head having an aperture therethrough, oneend of said aperture being cylindrical and the other end thereof beingsubstantially rectangular, two opposed walls of said rectangularaperture being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to thediameter of said cylindrical aperture portion, and the other two opposedwalls of said rectangular aperture portion being spaced apart a greaterdistance proridi g shoulder means between each of said remaining opposedwalls and said cylindrical aperture portion, a cable having an outerdiameter to snugly fit said cylindrical aperture portion extending intosaid aperture, and opposed cutter blades interposed between said cableand each of said other opposed walls of said rectangular apertureportion.

4. A cutting tool comprising a head having an aperture therethrough, oneend of said aperture being cylindrical and the other end thereof beingsubstantially rectangular, two opposed walls of said rectangularaperture being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to thediameter of said cylindrical aperture portion, and the other two opposedWalls of said rectangular aperture portion being spaced apart a greaterdistance providing shoulder means between each of said remaining opposedWalls and said cylindrical aperture portion, a cable having an outerdiameter to snugly fit said cylindrical aperture portion extending intosaid aperture, and opposed cutter blades interposed between said cableand each of said other opposed walls of said rectangular apertureportion, and cooperable means on said blades and said head to hold saidblades engaged with said head.

5. A cutting tool comprising a head having an aperture therethrough, oneend of said aperture being cylindrical and the other end thereof beingsubstantially rectangular, two opposed walls of said rectangularaperture being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to thediameter of said cylindrical aperture portion, and the other two opposedwalls of said rectangular aperture portion being spaced apart a greaterdistance providing shoulder means between each of said remaining opposedwalls and said cylindrical aperture portion, a cable having an outerdiameter to snugly fit said cylindrical aperture portion extending intosaid aperture, opposed cutter blades interposed between said cable andeach of said other opposed walls of said rectangular aperture portion,notch means in said cutter blades and lug means in said head to holdsaid blades from outward movement while held in spaced relation by saidcable.

6. A cutting tool including a cutting head, a flexible cable securedthereto, a pair of opposed blades secured to said cutting head, each ofsaid blades diverging outwardly from the axis of said cutting head for asubstantial distance, and then curved to provide converging endportions, and teeth on said blades, said teeth including pointedportions flush with one surface of each blade, said teeth being formedby spaced notches in both surfaces of said blade.

7. A cutting tool comprising a cutter head, an aperture therethrough, atleast a portion of which is rectangular in form, a pair of bladessecured to said cutter head, each blade having a notch therein, a lug onsaid cutter head engaging in said blade to hold said blade from outwardmovement, and a cable in said aperture between said blades holding saidblades engaged with said lugs.

ANDREW A. OLEARY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 854,464 Charlton May 21, 19071,227,234 Bacon May 22, 1917 1,600,373 Stremel Sept. 21, 1926 2,059,414Taylor Nov. 3, 1936 2,244,735 Silverman June 10, 1941 2,255,800 MillerSept. 16, 1941 2,292,713 OLeary Aug. 11, 1942 2,354,245 Corbosiero July25, 1944

